Acceptance
by Arby
Summary: Early first season: Title says it all (It's an ELF)


Disclaimer: I wish I did own SQ and the characters but I don't, they belong to someone else's imagination. I'm borrowing them for fun and am not making any money from this at all.  
Summary: This is an ELF so if you don't like them go somewhere else. Basically I kind of thought that there should have been more on Lucas settling into life on the SeaQuest because there is no way that people would just accept him and treat him as an equal straight off. By the way I'm writing at the beginning of season one after the Marilyn Stark episode.   
  
Acceptance Part 1  
  
He looked around his room again, not for the first time wondering why he was here. What had he done that caused both his parents to reject him? Had they ever loved him? Was it something he hid that made them want to leave him? Think about it logically, he told himself. First there was his Mother and Father, presumably happily married. Then he was conceived, shortly followed by his parents' divorce. Hmmm the divorce. He'd heard the arguments, the excuses of work and finally the hollow promises of phone calls and days out. But was the work the reason or was it his fathers' fantasy willed into reality as a reasonable excuse for escaping his family? "An excuse for removing me from his life". He spoke softly to avoid hearing his own voice crack, to hear the painful words jarring uncontrollably in his throat. He huddled closer to the bulkhead, crouched on the floor, his tatty denim jacket hanging like a shroud on small shoulders, keeping him warm, but unable to keep the cold outside.  
After that was my mother, he thought reasonably, fighting to keep control of his thoughts. I guess she couldn't stand to be alone. No, that's not right. She couldn't stand to be seen to be alone. Always the social climber, to be a single mother, was certainly not something to allow her image to be tainted by. So she married Rick, who not surprisingly hated me like my mother because I, because I, I was always in the way, I was selfish, inconsiderate. And she let him beat me because (she didn't love me?) she was afraid, afraid to be alone. So she (got rid of me?) sent me here (to get me out the way?) so I'd be safe. WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME!  
"Lucas" The pal chirped noisily beside him alerting him to it's presence but unable to shake his thoughts. As he reached for his pal he changed. With a practised ease he transformed in a matter of seconds. Old shoulders slumped in torment and dejection squared to utter confidence and youthful resilience, a cocky smile split his face and his eyes sparkled, the picture of self-assurance. There was no mirth or joy in the timeless depths of those eyes though, only a torrent of grief and doubt fighting to be unleashed but held at bay by a merciless gatekeeper who had thrown away the key.  
"Yes captain?" His voice was casual as he spoke, light in tone. He was a regular 16-year-old with no real worries or problems. The world was at his feet and he did not care.  
"There's a meeting in the War room in five minutes. I'd like you to be there."  
"Cool, see ya in five." Bridger smiled to himself. What a kid and so much like Robert! He had a brilliant mind, so sure of himself and a total lack of respect for authority. "Well I have a few tricks to keep him on his toes", he chuckled to himself. And to think three weeks ago I had never met him. Funny how fast someone can grow on you.  
In War Room  
Hitchcock: "Sir, who are we waiting for?" Expectant faces of the senior staff turned to their captain for the answer. Everyone was already there.   
Bridger: "We're waiting for Lucas". Hitchcock raised an eyebrow but said nothing, Crocker just nodded keeping his own opinions to himself content to back the captain instead. O 'Neill and Ortiz also looked surprised but Kreig simply shrugged, it took a lot to bother Kreig and besides he hadn't even really met the kid yet. Westphalen nodded approvingly but Ford looked like he a swallowed a red-hot chilli pepper whole. "Problem commander?" Bridger asked amusedly.  
Ford: "With all due respect captain, but should we really have a 16-year-old civilian in on this meeting."  
Westphalen: "Pardon me commander?" she spoke harshly insulted by his slip but privately laughing at the size of the hole he was digging for himself. "I'm sorry doctor" he hastily amended, I meant to say senior staff. "Well he is chief computer analyst" Kreig piped up cheerfully from the other side of the room. Ford shot daggers at Kreig while Kristen fought to conceal a smile.   
Ortiz: "Well I think Ford might have a point sir, I mean he's 16 and well" he trailed off.  
O'Neill: "It's just that he's so young and"  
Bridger: "Do you have a view on this Hitchcock?" He said, effectively silencing everyone else.   
"Well it's certainly a new thing for the UEO to have children sitting in on senior staff meetings." Lucas walks in on this and knows what it is he has interrupted. Everyone looks guilty except for Bridger. "Lucas why are you late?" He looks around the room challenging them, but no one meets his gaze except for Kreig who glances sideways at him with an odd expression on his face. "A med tech was having some problems installing new equipment. I stopped to help." He stated simply.   
Bridger: "Well sit down so we can get started" he said gesturing to a chair at the end of the table seated next to Westphalen. Lucas sat mechanically, getting out his laptop, setting it up and sitting back as it booted up. No one spoke. The atmosphere was electric, oppressive. "Okay people this is why we're here" Bridger said cutting sharply through people's thoughts like a knife. "Our latest mission is to aid the Terenan government by assisting one of their outposts along the UEO Terenan border. As you know for the last year and a half the UEO has been conducting delicate negotiations with the Terenans' regarding UEO membership. This is a crucial time for the UEO, so we must be at our best." This last was directed at everyone although when he finished he was looking at Lucas, a slight which no one missed.  
Crocker: "What kind of assistance' needed Cap?"   
Bridger: "It seems that they have been trying to install some new communications equipment but it isn't compatible so they are having problems getting the system to run". A loud snort was heard from the other end of the room. Everyone turned to face the source of the interruption, looks of mild annoyance on their faces.   
Lucas: "Well no wonder I mean what do they expect when they try to cross the latest model with an archaic piece of junk like that." He ranted animatedly gesturing wildly to the face of his laptop. "What do you mean?" Westphalen prompted. Someone's going to have to write a program to transfer all the data from their old system to the new one before they start installing and with the age of that equipment that's not going to be a happy someone.   
Bridger: "That someone's going to be you".  
Lucas: "It figures".  
Bridger: "Anyway as I was saying our job is to get them back on their feet. O'Neill, I want you to talk to Kreig and Lucas about what you might need. The three of you and myself will go over to the post by shuttle when we arrive at 1200 hours tomorrow. Any questions?"  
Crocker: "Ah captain what about" "Absolutely not Crocker this is a diplomatic mission, that means no security or weapons, even just on the shuttle. Anything else? Good. Let's get going people."  
Westphalen: "Um, Nathan could I have a word?"  
Bridger: "Certainly".  
"I'm a little concerned about Lucas."  
"Go on".  
"He doesn't seem to socialise much with the crew, he's rarely seen at the mess and has a tendency to just play computer games in his room."  
"Boy's his age always play computer games. It's what they do."  
"But Nathan he doesn't have anything else to do. He spends almost all his free time playing and talking to Darwin. That is when he isn't working. He doesn't talk to anyone unless he's spoken to. The crew are isolating themselves from him. I'm sure he notices it too. I think we have a problem."  
(Bridger sighs) "Maybe you're right, I'll keep an eye out and see what I can do."  
"Thanks" She smiled warmly at him and left the room. He was just about to start working again when his stomach protested rather noisily. "Hmm, time for dinner I think."   
He wandered down the corridor mulling over what Westphalen had told him. It must be tough for him here, and I bet home's not a place he can go to with his problems. He entered the mess and settled down to a plate of pasta on his own, nodding to Ortiz, Hitchcock and O'Neill who were sharing a table on the other side of the room. Then Lucas stepped in. It was as if a gust of cold air had been blasted into the room. The friendly bubble of conversation trailed off and then resumed in soft whispers. He appeared not to notice and confidently made his way to the coffee machine, people pushing and barging in front of him or shoving him out the way so they could get past. He filled a large cup, grabbed an apple, undoubtedly dinner, and left the mess, the volume of conversation once again rising as he left the room. Bridger stopped eating, suddenly disgusted with his crew and himself for ignoring such an obvious problem. Of course Lucas didn't talk much to anyone. It was so obvious half the crew felt insulted by his presence. No, not just insulted, they felt threatened. They knew how good Lucas was. He clearly demonstrated that with the Marilyn Stark incident. Bridger managed to hear the whispers when Lucas had stepped in. The whispers of half-truths and assumptions about his parents and how he got his place here. How very cruel. The Navy's finest indeed! He snorted, too arrogant and self-important to acknowledge this brilliant young man. He must feel it. He treats people how they treat him, how they expect him to be and pretends he doesn't care. Bridger thought to himself for a while, then came to a decision. He picked up a plate, piled it with food and left the mess in search of a certain individual.  
  
Part 2  
  
"Lucas Darwin friend. Lucas Play!"  
  
"Ok" he said simply, shrugging his shoulders in compliance. He was not about to turn down a request from anyone who thought he was their friend. He wasn't really in the mood for messing around in the moonpool, but he wanted the company and secretly felt a glow of pleasure at the thought that he was needed. Not needed in the sense of his computer skills or his ability to help someone else. But needed because he was someone somebody else would like to spend time with. "Ah Hell, I didn't bring a suit!" He said frustrated. "S*d it" he said smiling at Darwin as he ripped off his socks and sneakers and peeled of his ratty jacket and T-shirt. Darwin bobbed his head in silent approval as Lucas dove into the freezing water, quickly engaging him in a manic game of tag football. Finally exhausted Lucas swung his legs from out of the pool and let them dangle on the other side. "Alright fish face. Time for dinner." Lucas jumped down opening the bay doors allowing Darwin out to feed.   
"Nice swimmers you got there Lucas" He spun around to come face to face with a rather amused Bridger. His blonde hair and denim jeans pooling water onto the once immaculate deck, legs standing defiantly apart.   
"It was the best I could do at the time" he replied sarcastically.  
"Well next time wear a suit. We wouldn't want you to catch hypothermia."  
"We?"  
"Yes we! You know Westphalen would have a fit if she knew you'd been swimming without a suit."  
"Sorry" Lucas replied lamely, surprised but not annoyed about being hassled over something so minor. He accepted the towel that Bridger offered him, drying his trembling shoulders and replacing the T-shirt and Jacket before turning back to face the captain.   
"You hungry?"  
"Well, maybe a little." Lucas eyed him suspiciously as he walked to the metal stairs and picked up a plate loaded with food as he sat down.  
"Well sit down then." He said gesturing to a place beside him. Lucas took the offered plate and sat down, nervously nibbling on a chunk of bread. "Sorry the foods a bit cold. It took me a while to find you." Lucas sat waiting for him to continue. Ok now what?  
"Lucas are you happy here?" He stopped eating for a moment then seemed to come to a conclusion and resumed.  
"I guess so. Why do you ask?"  
"I don't know. I think maybe that if I were you I'd probably be a bit lonely right now. I mean this is just me of course, but I'd probably worry that people aren't going to like me because I'm different and I wouldn't know how to change that." He stole a glance at the teenager hoping to gauge his reaction. He ate more mechanically than before but his face showed nothing, completely nonchalant, until Bridger looked at his eyes and he knew his comment had hit home. They sat in silence for a while; Bridger giving him the space he knew he needed.   
"So what would you do then?"  
"I guess I might lean on a friend when I needed to." He began slowly. "Maybe a might try being myself and giving other people more time to adjust to the situation."  
"What if they don't adjust?"  
"Then maybe their not friends worth having. Anyway the good ones will pull through in the end. They always do. You'll see." Lucas looked at the floor, unable to respond as Bridger stood to leave. "Kristin and I will always be there for you if you need us. And Lucas. My door is always open."  
Lucas watched him quietly leave and spoke softly to his retreating back  
"Thank you." Bridger smiled as walked down the corridor.   
  
  
Cut to dark office. It is clear that it is not on the seaQuest. There are five people in the room and in the centre is a vid link. The woman on the vid link is addressing everyone else in the room although we never see her face.   
  
"She'll be here soon. Dr Jenkins are you ready?"  
"Yes Ma'am I have everything I need."  
"Good. The program I wrote will cover your tracks long enough for you to set it up." (He nods in agreement) "Sergei are your men ready?"  
"Yes Ma'am."  
"Well then. For freedom!"  
"For freedom!" (All echo)   
  
  
1200 hours on the seaQuest at launch bay.  
  
Lucas: "Umm, can you give me a hand with this?" He called to Kreig, struggling with various heavy looking computer components.  
Kreig: "Yeah sure kid." Lucas scowled at the name but said nothing. At least the guy was helping him and wasn't trying to be patronising. "So what is all this junk anyway?"  
"Excuse me this is not junk. This is my best equipment and it's the latest in computer technology."  
"It is is it? Kreig pondered slyly. "So tell me kid what do you do for fun around here."  
"What?" Lucas replied, unbalanced by the sudden shift in the conversation.  
"Well I don't mean to disrespect the wholesome morals of your average 16-year-old hacker but."  
"Oh you mean that kind of fun!" Lucas replied mischievously, instantly taking a liking to this man. "Wouldn't you like to know" he said cheekily.   
"That's why I asked" Kreig shot back, never missing a beat. "You see Lucas I have this idea.."  
It was the start of a beautiful friendship.  
  
Cut to shuttle docking at the Terenan outpost  
  
O'Neill: "I hate dress uniforms they make my skin itch." Lucas snorted behind him. O'Neill turned to glare but realised he was whining really badly so smiled instead.  
Lucas: "You sound like me when my parents drag me off to a fancy reception somewhere."  
"It's alright for you, you're a civilian. I still can't believe Bridger let you wear those jeans though."  
"He didn't have much of a choice"  
Bridger: "And this is my communications officer Lieutenant O'Neill and my computer analyst Lucas Wolenczak."   
"Pleased to meet you." A tall slim woman wearing a smart cream suit said stepping forward to shake their hands in turn. This is Pele Hose and his brother Juan. They will be working with you over the next few days. I can't thank you enough captain for your assistance, we are most grateful.   
"No trouble at all. Well I'd better get back to my boat." He turned to face Lucas and Tim. "I'll speak to you later to find out how you're getting on."  
Lucas: "Yes mother." Tim barely restrains a snort of laughter as Bridger smiles thinly at Lucas.   
Bridger: "Behave."  
  
10 hours later  
  
Lucas: "Why do I feel like I've been going round in circles since we got here."  
O'Neill: "I know what you mean."  
"This is ridiculous! I can't find a problem with the compatibility at all and Beavis and Butthead over there are about as useful as a bucket with a hole."  
"I take it you've been having problems." It was a statement not a question.  
"Tim, something's just not right."   
"What do you mean?"  
"I think the computer might have a virus."  
"But Lucas it's a brand new system." He said trying to settle his own feelings of growing unease.  
"I know Tim. I know."  
  
Cut to seaQuest  
  
Hitchcock: "Captain, I'm picking up a distress signal from a shuttle within Terenan territory."  
Bridger: "Move to assist, commander inform the outpost of our current situation."  
Ford: "Aye sir."  
Hitchcock: "Sir they're dead in the water, engine failure. They're requesting to be towed aboard."  
Bridger: "Permission granted. Ford you're with me, Hitchcock you have the bridge."  
Hitchcock: "Aye sir".  
  
Cut to office. Pele and Juan are there as is the mysterious woman on the vid screen.  
  
Pele: "I think they suspect something, but they don't know it's deliberate yet." He said nervously pacing the room. The two brothers were tall, fairly muscular and had crew cuts on black hair. Their origin could have been Hispanic.  
Juan: "It's the kid. He's good with computers. He knows something's not right.  
Voice: "Yes but they won't know the real reason seaQuest is here until it's too late. There's no information left to find that could incriminate us. Just stay focused. If something goes wrong then just cut communications and open the airlock. Just make sure your clear before it floods. (The woman grins wickedly at this as the face is revealed as that of Marilyn Stark.)   
  
  
Cut to docking bay  
  
  
A tallish man with short, cropped black hair stepped out of his launch carrying a small black bag and smiled apologetically at the captain. "Thank you so much captain. I'm sure my stay will be a short one."  
Bridger: "It's no problem Dr Jenkins, I'm glad we could assist. I'll show you to your quarters."  
Jenkins: "Thank you captain as long as it's no trouble. As soon as we reach the outpost I'll be out of your hair and I can get my shuttle repaired."  
Bridger: "You can stay as long as you need to doctor." Bridger said trying to be as diplomatic and accommodating as possible. Hopefully all of these politics would be over soon and they could get back to some serious exploration. Reaching his quarters they stopped. Enjoy you're stay Dr. Although I must ask you not t leave your quarters until we arrive, for security reasons. I'm sure you understand."  
"Naturally." As soon as Bridger left Jenkins quietly locked the door. He walked over to the bed and opened his bag to reveal several large plastic bags filled with a clear liquid. "Time to get to work." He removed a screwdriver from his pocket and proceeded to the small ventilation pipe leading to his room. "A tight fit, but I suppose it will have to do." Dr Jenkins removed the cover and squeezed himself into the narrow space, crawling the route to main ventilation and environmental controls that Stark had told him.  
  
  
Cut to bridge  
  
  
Hitchcock: "Captain someone's accessing environmental controls."  
Bridger: "Who is it?"  
"I don't know"  
"Where are they?"  
"I can't find them. The computers locking me out."  
"Send a security team to check on our guest and send the rest to search the decks." Bridger swayed dizzily and watched in horror as the rest of the bridge crew collapsed to the floor unconscious. He stumbled to communications attempting to send a signal before he too crumpled to the deck. Then Jenkins walks onto the deck with a mask on. It has a radio set inside. He calls up Stark on the vid link.  
"Good job Dr. you know what to do. Take this last step and the Terenan government will be rid of the UEO forever and your people will be free."  
"Setting collision course now. Destination Terenan outpost 5. ETA 20minutes."  
"Get out of there Dr, I'll inform Pele and Juan."  
  
  
Cut to Terenan outpost  
  
CLUNK  
Lucas: "Did you hear that?"   
O'Neill: "Hear what?"  
"Nothing"  
"Oh"  
"Are you sure you didn't hear that?"  
"Lucas it's half eleven would you please go to sleep." Tim responded grouchily.  
"Why didn't the captain call?" Lucas said nervously sitting up on the top bunk, idly fiddling with the edge of his blanket.   
"You heard the message he had to answer a distress call."  
"Yeah but he still would have called. (Beat). Tim I think something's wrong. I'm going to call seaQuest." He said getting up and quickly getting dressed.  
"Lucas this is insane. Can't this wait 'till tomorrow?"  
"No."  
"Fine." He wasn't going to get any sleep now and he may as well just humour Lucas. Tim hauled himself to his feet and huffily got dressed. "Teenagers." Both left their room, finding the place oddly deserted. Surely even at this time they would have had some techs working the place? They went to the lower levels where Lucas had left his laptop and he attempted to make a call.   
"There's no answer."  
"Well of course there has to be an answer." Tim said worriedly grabbing the radio set from Lucas but having no better luck.   
"Oh the hell with this!" Lucas said and began hacking into the seaQuests' main computer.  
"What are you doing?" Tim said alarmed. "Hey you're not supposed to have those codes!"  
"Ohmigod!"  
"What?"  
"The seaQuests' on auto-pilot and it's heading straight towards us."  
"Can you stop it?!"  
"I need more time!" Suddenly a huge explosion rocked underneath them and they ran into the main corridor, watertight doors began slamming down into place.  
Lucas: "Get out! There's nothing you can do to help them!" And with that he shoved Tim towards the other end of the deck, as a door slammed shut between them. Lucas sprinted back to his computer before another door slammed behind him. He ran to his computer and began typing frantically as the room began to creak and groan. Then suddenly pipes began to burst and water poured in. "Got it!" He shouted triumphantly. No time for fear or regret as the water surged around him soon to his chest. He threw the computer away from him before it came into contact with the water. How do I get out? Come on Lucas think, where are you? Engineering. What goes out of engineering? The torpedo tubes! He took a deep breath and went under. The room was too full to have another breath after that. He swam desperately searching for the tubes, eyes stinging from the salt water. Finding them he punched in a timed launch and silently thanking himself for being so thin, squeezed inside. One last thing! He reached for his modified watch and pressed a button, praying his friend could help him in time. With that he closed his eyes as an unbearable pressure filled his ears and lungs and finally burst as he was shot out into the middle of the deep blue ocean.  
  
Part 3  
  
O'Neill sprinted across the deck, as doors slammed shut behind him. He had to reach the docking bay. It was his only chance. He skidded to a halt in horror in front of three empty docking ports. Emergency life-pods. He turned on his heel; thankful he had taken the time to memorise their location. It was standard procedure for entering all undersea complexes, but one which most people ignored, complacent with their own safety. Tim rounded the corner and threw himself into the pod slamming the emergency release as he entered. He hurriedly strapped himself into the nearest seat as the little craft powered up and sling-shot its' way out into the water. How could this of happened, he thought desperately as the craft made its' way to the sea floor, radio transmitter flashing all the way. He clutched his crucifix intensely praying that Lucas had saved the others and by some miracle that he would somehow save himself. Tears of grief ran down his face as the little pod swayed crazily in the deceptively calm ocean.  
  
Cut to SeaQuest Bridge  
  
Commander Ford stared through glazed eyes at the fascinating pattern of metal grating swaying wildly in front of him. That's funny. I thought I was supposed to be on bridge duty. He surveyed his surroundings and then realised that he was on the bridge. Panic filled him as memories of the take over flooded his senses. Quickly squelching his own fear under the cool, professional exterior of a senior officer he quickly checked the condition of the boat before moving to arouse the captain. The rest of the crew began to stir.   
Bridger (groggily): "Report"  
Ford: "We're dead in the water and running on emergency life-support."  
"Get engineering down to environmental controls immediately, maintain emergency life-support. Get security out to find Dr Jenkins. Ortiz, give me a visual, tell me what's out there." The shutter lifts to be replaced by a rather large view of the Terenan outpost. "Back us off, slowly."  
Hitchcock: "Sir, I'm picking up a distress call from a life-pod, 20000m of our starboard side."  
Ortiz: "Captain." He interrupted urgently. "I'm getting odd sonar readings from the outpost. Sir, It appears that the lower levels have taken on water."  
"Move to intercept the pod immediately, hail them."  
Hitchcock: "It's hailing us."  
"On Screen." O'Neill appears flustered on the screen but speaks quickly and calmly, knowing the importance of delivering his words as fast as possible.   
"Sir, Juan and Pele left and flooded the lower levels. Lucas stayed to stop seaQuest from colliding on a collision course with the outpost. I don't know if he got out." Bridger slammed his hand down quickly on the comm. "Kristin, fit Darwin with a breather immediately and tell him to look for Lucas. Helm, all stop. Ortiz can you find anything else?"  
"Nothing sir."  
"Keep looking."  
  
Cut to outside seaQuest  
  
Darwin sped away towards the outpost as fast as he could swim. Lucas Darwin friend. Lucas in trouble. Darwin find Lucas. Darwin help Lucas. Suddenly Darwin felt a small vibration. He honed in on this vibration and continued to swim as fast as he could. Then he saw him, slowly sinking towards the seafloor. Blond hair trailing lazily above his pale face as his unconscious form obeyed the laws of gravity and the currents of the ocean. Darwin hooked his snout under the collar of the tatty denim jacket and bit into it to get a good grip as he took off back towards the seaQuest. Lucas need air.  
  
Cut to bridge  
  
Ortiz: "Sir, Darwin's coming back!"  
"On Screen." The picture of a sleek form towing a small, bedraggled figure below replaced O'Neill's face. Time stopped as an eerie silence stole across the bridge. The figure moved in a doll-like manner. The movement of the water the only source of movement for the limp attachments of arms and legs, which swayed lifelessly at his sides. It was an image that would be ingrained in everyone's minds forever.  
Bridger: "Medbay to the moonpool immediately."  
Westphalen: "What type of casualty."  
Bridger: "Drowning." He paused as he forced himself to think. "Exposure to extreme cold."  
"How long?"  
"What?" He said distractedly.  
"How long in the water."  
"O'Neill." He barked as the image was mercifully replaced by that of O'Neill's face. "How long ago did you get into the pod?"  
O Neill: "Umm I guess about 10 minutes now."  
Bridger: "Dr?"  
Westphalen: "Ok."  
Bridger: "Ford stay on the bridge, Hitchcock you're with me." Both said nothing as they hurried towards the mag-lev, unwilling to trust themselves to speak, afraid that voicing their fears would make them true. The trip although a short one seemed agonisingly slow. They left the mag-lev and sprinted for the moonpool, unable to face not knowing any longer. As they came in they saw Kristin and two other medics setting out their equipment, mixtures of long tubes, syringes and blankets littered orderly across the deck. The medi-pack unit stood out, quietly anticipating the arrival of a patient, the two paddles hanging ominously in their cradles. Bridger snapped his head away from this scene as a splash snagged his attention. Darwin. Bridger and Hitchcock leapt into the pool, soaking their uniform and quickly hauled the fragile form from the frigid water. They hurriedly carried him to the edge and passed him over the side, brushing his T-shirt up slightly in the process to reveal a thin waist and sickly white skin. They laid him gently on the floor covered in thermal blankets. His face was pale and lips blue as Westphalen brushed his sodden hair out of his face and away from his mouth. His bright blue eyes half open, staring fixedly to some unimaginable point in the distance. 12 minutes. Westphalen grabbed the tube and with the help of a medic forced his jaw open wide to insert the tube down his throat leading to his lungs.  
Westphalen: "Bag him. 10ccs of adrenaline, start resuscitation." The medics worked frantically, one attaching several small sensors to his body as the other began forcing air into his lungs. Kristin continued the compressions on his chest. "Charge it"  
Medic: "Charging." Kristin stopped the compressions and ripped open his T-shirt, grabbing the paddles and placing them on his left side on his upper chest. "Clear." His body jerked violently as monitors beeped and then squealed loudly as they flat lined again. "Resume resuscitation." Kristin continued doggedly although Hitchcock had given up hope.  
Hitchcock: "Dr. Dr I don't think there's anything else you can do." She said gently touching the older woman's' hand. Kristin viciously slapped it aside. "Don't you dare tell me my job. He still has a chance. The cold water would have slowed down his circulation; he could survive without air for longer. Charge! She bellowed angrily, increasing the ferocity of her compressions. Bridger watched intensely as the doctor continued to work, hoping beyond hope. "Don't you dare give up. You hear me? You stubborn, reckless son of a bitch." She snatched the paddles and pressed them to him once more. "Clear!" His chest rose and fell. Nothing. His eyes fell closed. "That's it Lucas, come on you can do it." She said gently, coaxing him back from the brink. "That's it come on back." His eyelids scrunched more tightly, wincing in pain as involuntarily he began coughing tiredly, then more violently as his body rejected the salt water. Kristin quickly removed the tube and rolled him onto his side to help him clear his airway. "Good boy." Bridger sat back heavily on the deck in relief and let out a small smile as Kristin began to protectively smother Lucas with thermal blankets. Katie sat looking amazed at Lucas who began sucking in large lungfulls of air, albeit with difficulty.   
Bridger: "Hitchcock, go and inform the others and get O'Neill onboard."  
Hitchcock: "Aye Sir."  
Bridger: "That was close kiddo. Too close."  
  
6 hours later in medbay  
  
Everything was cold. His head hurt but most of all it was cold. It was difficult to feel anything, although everything hurt. Weary eyes met harsh light as eyelids cracked open to reveal tiny slits of ice blue.  
Bridger: "Hey there." Lucas groaned audibly and closed his eyes again. "Oh no you don't, I know you're awake." He spoke softly. "I'll just call Kristin." Lucas nodded meekly in agreement as Bridger left his bedside.   
Westphalen: "Well young man. You certainly had us worried for a little while back there. How are you feeling."  
Lucas: "I can't really hear people. It hurts. I can only see people talk." He mumbled, struggling for the words. "I'm cold." Westphalen nodded, gently taking his hand in hers, stroking it softly. When she spoke she looked directly at him so he could lip read and spoke slowly. "You're suffering from hypothermia and you have bruising around your ear drums. It looks to be resulting from a severe change in pressure."  
Lucas: "The torpedo tube." Bridger nodded. He'd expected just as much.   
Westphalen: "Be careful with your breathing and try not to move too much. Your lungs were full of water so your chest will feel heavy and painful for a while. Try and get some sleep." He nodded tiredly and started to drift off as Westphalen injected a painkiller/sedative into his arm to help him.  
Bridger: "Will he be alright?"  
Westphalen: "Yes he'll be fine. He'll need a lot of rest but knowing him he'll be up by the end of the week. I'm not going to release him for as long as possible though. He's really to thin for someone his age and I want to make sure he starts to put on a bit more weight. It will also help to stop him feeling cold." She turned to face Bridger. "Did you ring his parents?" He winced at the memory. "Lucas will rely on us to get him back on his feet." The hidden meaning in his words was all too clear.  
  
3 days later  
  
Lucas: "Please I'm so bored you don't understand. I haven't spoken to any of my friends for 5 days, this is practically juvenile hall and even there you get to talk to someone.  
Westphalen: "You mean someone from the crew?" She said innocently. Lucas scowled.  
"You're so funny."  
"Lucas just one more day and then you can go back to your cabin for a while, alright? Look, your temperature isn't up to scratch yet although your sarcasm obviously is so until tomorrow you stay put. No more arguing. Dinner time."  
"Wonderful."  
Bridger: "Having problems?"  
Lucas: "Plenty thank you."  
Bridger: "Someone's feeling better. Better enough to come to dinner at the mess don't you think doctor?" Westphalen about to argue held back and thought for a second and then smiled wickedly at Lucas.  
Westphalen: "Alright Lucas you have a compromise. You can go to dinner with the captain and your friends on seaQuest."  
Lucas: "Why me?"  
Bridger: "Come on, I'll wait for you outside." Five minutes later Lucas walked carefully out of Medbay wearing grey tracksuit bottoms and a large heavy black jumper. "Brilliant, now I look like I'm wearing pyjamas."  
"Well you couldn't wear those jeans of yours because of your chest."  
"Thank you for reminding me." Lucas said as he winced when he tried to walk too fast, sucking in air painfully. The pair slowed down and walked at a more leisurely pace.  
"You know the crew are very grateful for what you did. They think you had a lot of courage to do what you did." He shrugged it off automatically.  
"There wasn't another option."  
"Only you would see it that way. I'm very proud of you." Lucas blushed at that last, secretly liking the feeling. Colour spreading to the corners of pale cheeks, eyes looking embarrassed at the floor. "Here we are." Bridger said, breaking the moment. As they entered the mess, Bridger steered Lucas towards a table where Kreig, Ortiz, O'Neill and Hitchcock were sitting. "Sit down while I get you something to eat." An uncomfortable silence fell across the group, the adults privately awed at this teenagers' sacrifice for them.  
O'Neill: "Lucas I'm..."  
Lucas: "Don't be. There wasn't another way. I'm just glad you got away. So did we catch the bad guys?" Lucas grinned childishly, instantly lightening the mood. Ortiz snickered as Hitchcock answered him. "Yes Lucas we caught "the bad guys". It was a small freedom group run by a man named Sergei. They implanted the virus to draw seaQuest into the area. They were trying to end negotiations between the UEO and Terena by destroying the seaQuest. That way they would be refused UEO membership."  
Lucas: "Without starting a war because it could be blamed on a small group of terrorists." Lucas finished. Kreig raised his eyebrows, impressed with the kid's intelligence. Then again he shouldn't really be surprised about anything from this young man.  
Hitchcock: "Exactly! The only thing I don't understand is how Jenkins bypassed security on the environmental controls."  
Lucas: "I'll take a look at it later."  
Bridger: "Much later." Bridger said rejoining the group. "Although I think I might know how. Or rather who. I analysed the codes our guest used. They were Marilyn Starks'."  
Lucas: "But all the codes have changed since then. It must have been a sleeping program, buried deep within the computers' memory." Bridger nodded grimly.   
Bridger: "Whatever it is, it means that Starks' not dead. I can't say I'm surprised. She's a very clever woman. Twisted, but clever."  
Kreig: "Well whatever she's doing with our computers, at least we have Lucas here to take care of it. Lucas I'm glad you're here." That was the second time Lucas blushed in as many hours. He was kind of glad he was here with them too.  
  
Finita! Want another story? Think this one's Ok? Please e-mail your ideas.  
Arby   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
